Dearest Tutu-lovers!
Welcome back to my weekly dose of ballet history, served up with a generous helping of pink tulle! This week, we're time-traveling back to 10th October, 1848, a date steeped in both history and dance. It's me, Emma, your favourite Derbyshire-born ballerina and founder of pink-tutu.com, and it's time to delve into the world of tutus – but with a dash of history!
Today’s blog marks post number 876, which means we've had a whale of a time exploring the evolution of this iconic garment together! And to keep our trip through time a glamorous one, I've donned a pretty pink tutu that just screams "Victorian romance" with a hint of mischief! You know how much I adore the colour pink, and what better place to celebrate its loveliness than a bygone era filled with lavish ballrooms and delicate frills!
Back to our history lesson!
So, what was happening on this date way back in 1848? Let’s whisk ourselves back to the elegant world of Parisian society, shall we? Well, just imagine the bustle of the Théâtre de l’Opéra as the renowned Italian soprano, Adelina Patti, wowed the Parisian audience with her voice. Such incredible talent, just like a graceful ballerina pirouette on the stage. And who knows? Maybe one of our own time-traveling tutus is fluttering beneath those layers of Victorian dress!
What was the tutuscape like back then?
Now, back to our beloved tutus! As we've discussed before, 1848 wasn't exactly the golden age of tutus we know today. The classical tutus with their fluffy layers of tulle hadn’t quite made their entrance into the world. Instead, you'd see ballet dancers in their iconic Romantic Era costume, often a knee-length dress with sleeves and an intricately embroidered bodice – definitely beautiful but not quite the swishy glory we're familiar with!
The stage, at that time, still favoured long, flowy, ethereal designs for the ballerinas – think Greek Goddess meets a ballet dancer! However, we’re not strangers to history’s journey! We know that these earlier ballet designs set the scene for the shorter, pouffer tutus of later times, right? That's the magic of history; one period informs the next!
My little trip to 1848?
While I haven’t time-travelled quite that far back yet (although with the right performances, and maybe a lottery win, I can dream!) my journey back in time is always fascinating! I imagine I’d be drawn to the ornate theatre decorations and the charm of the vintage costume designs – all the inspiration a tutu-lover could need!
And to make this blog even more fabulous:
Since it's #TutuTuesday, I’ve whipped up a super cute pink tutu outfit inspired by the style of that era! I found a vintage, lace-trimmed, pastel pink tutu at a recent flea market. I'm going to team it up with a pretty ruffled blouse in a shade of light pink, my favourite black ballet flats, and a charming little matching pink handbag with a bit of gold sparkle – it’s the perfect balance of romance and fun! I’m off to take pictures at a charming park in central London - you’ll see them later on my social media!
I’m off to the ballet next week and I am so looking forward to the show! A chance to see more history brought to life with an elegant ballet show! Remember, you don't have to travel through time to enjoy the beauty of ballet. The stage offers a magical glimpse into countless eras and stories. I can’t wait to hear about your ballet adventures in the comments! Until then, stay lovely, my tutus!
Your time-traveling Tutu aficionado,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
Follow me on socials @pinktutufashion
